History of Bijapur

The history of Bijapur is very rich and glorious. It goes back to the medieval age. The city of Bijapur is referred to as the City of Victory. It was formerly known as Vijayapura and was established by the rulers of Chalukayan dynasty during the 10th-11th centuries.

During 13th century, the region was included in the reign of Alauddin Khilji who was the sultan of Delhi. Later in 1347, it went on to form a part of the Bahamani kingdom. As the Bahamani empire declined, the foundation of Adil Shahi Dynasty was laid in the year 1489 by the governor of Bijapur Yusuf Adil Shah. He declared Bijapur as the capital of the kingdom.

Bijapur was ruled by the Adil Shahi Dynasty until 1686 and later it came under the rule of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. In 1724, Bijapur came under the dominion of the Nizam of Hyderabad when he established his independence in the Deccan. The Marathas defeated the Nizam in 1760 and the region of Bijapur came under the dominion of Maratha Peshwa.

Later Marathas were defeated by the British in the Third Anglo-Maratha War, as a result Bijapur came under the rule of the British East India Company and was transfered to the state of Satara. The region of Satara along with Bijapur, was annexed to Britain's Bombay Presidency in 1848 when the last ruler passed away without a male heir.



Last Updated on 07 August 2012